Diocesan Pastoral Plan
Priority #3 of the Diocesan Pastoral Plan:
“Embrace Your Priesthood”
Discerning God’s call to each person to share in the mission and life of the Lord
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“In the Church there is a diversity of ministry but a oneness of mission. Christ conferred on the Apostles and their successors the duty of teaching, sanctifying, and ruling in His name and power. But the laity likewise share in the priestly, prophetic, and royal office of Christ and therefore have their own share in the mission of the whole people of God in the Church and in the world.” – Catechism of the Catholic Church #873
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• Provide vocations support for priesthood, religious life, marriage, lay ministry leadership and service
• Provide strong support for effective ecclesial lay ministry: lay catechetical support; sacramental preparation strategies and preparation
• Promote discipleship paths: Catholic Christian Outreach (CC)); FacetoFace Ministries; Madonna House Apostolate; NET Ministries; Pure Witness Ministries; St. Therese Institute, etc.
• Provide academic, human and spiritual formation for candidates for the priesthood, permanent diaconate, religious life, lay ecclesial ministry
• Provide responsive marriage preparation; ongoing marriage support
• Provide opportunities for adults to reflect on the vocation of the lay Catholic faithful in their roles in the market-place: professionals, business leaders, service providers
“The gifts He gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ…. speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into Him who is the Head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.” – Ephesians 4:11-12,15-16